€1,300 grant available to improve energy efficiency

Grants of up to €1,300 are available to help pay for work to improve the energy efficiency of homes – in a move that could benefit five million households in France.

The aid is targeted at less well-off households which spend more than 10% of their budget on heating and hot water in the home and it comes at various levels depending on what improvements are made.

The maximum €1,300 grant is for installing a new Class 5 wood-fired heating boiler to replace an older one.

Other grants include €800 for installing a new high-energy-efficiency gas or oil central-heating boiler, €100 for fitting a central electric heating control and €50 for a smart heating control. Aid is also offered for work insulating roofs and lofts.

The grants were revealed by Environment Minister Ségolène Royal who said the first offers should be available in March.

Five million people are estimated to be in “energy poverty” and spending more than 10% of their budget on heating needs and they can apply for the grants to help cut heating bills. Grants can be used alongside the crédit d’impôt transition énergétique tax credit to cut costs.